The Difference of One Woman
by AllBlueChaser
Summary: A Fanforall challenge fic. Sanji is about to pass out, sounds like the perfect time to ask the idiot about his history with women. Zo/San.


Another damn woman villain. Zoro wished he had been there…to at least see the swordwork that caused the jagged wounds he was now stuck taping up until they could get the idiot love cook to Chopper.

Cowardly too. The woman…running off at the mere sight of a swordsman who could challenge her, well actually that might have been smart as she surely would be dead now if she had stayed.

"Careful asshole! That's an open wound you're jostling not your dick!"

The venomous response died on the swordsmans lips. This was actually pretty bad. He hated it. Treating the cook gently. His favorite parts of the blond was the strength…the ability to meet any challenge Zoro set. The feeling of having an equal he didn't have to hold back with.

A woman ruined all that. Whenever a woman was around Sanji was weak, unless of course he was in the act of protecting them. It was ridiculous. Obviously women could be just as deadly as a man…but Sanji probably saw them as exotic rare flowers that while poisionous still needed love and protection.

Zoro had learned not to underestimate women. Not to put them on a pedestal either, but respect them for their skill as he would were they men. Kuina had taught him that way back when.

Who was the idiot that put these fool notions of women in the cooks head? Setting the blond up to be used by anything female at the least and suicidaly vulnerable in battle in the worst cases….the curiosity of who would do such a thing built up in the swordsman.

"Shit. Is it that bad?" The cooks words made Zoros attention snap back to the wound and take notice of the change of voice. Sanji had tried to rile him on purpose…to gauge how bad it was just from his reaction, Zoro realized too late.

"Nah, I've lost more blood than this."

"Of course you have, unfortunately I'm pretty sure I don't have an infinite supply like you seem too."

Zoro spotted the Sunny poking around the cropping of rocks. The crew would be here soon, he just needed to keep Sanji calm and talking. Good thing he had just the topic to discuss.

"Were you friends with any girls when you were a kid?" Zoro asked off handedly as if it just now came to him on whim.

"Nope."

The answer was not what he had been expecting…actually he had expected to have to argue to get him to answer at all. Sanjis' sighed as if he read Zoros thoughts.

"I only have a few minutes before I pass out, right? You'll have to carry me back to the ship…you're pissed anyway I let myself get this way, I'll answer whatever till I pass out no questions asked but I expect it to make us even. No bringing this shit up later."

"No? Not even puppylove? You seem like the type."

"No. I only knew adults when I was a kid. All male too. Sailors and Chefs mostly...an occasional fisherman."

Zoro pondered that a moment as he pressed the bandage firmly against the cooks leg, hoping to slow the bleeding. While he had been training with Kuina…fighting with that amazing, talented, and real girl, Sanji had been pretty much a boy among men training in his own way left only to wonder what a real girl might be like.

Wait. He should know about one girl…

"What was your mom like?"

"Beautiful, I think. Radiant. A warm, caring smile, smart, and really gentle."

"You think?"

"Well that's how I picture her. I don't remember the last time I saw her. I could just be fantasizing. Did I even have a mother? Is she alive even?" The cook took a contemplative inhale on his freshly lit cigarette. "I don't know."

Sanji didn't look like he was feeling any pain other than his wounds. The swordsman felt like he was suddenly gaining some real insight.

He treated women like rare delicate flowers of mystery, because they were. His only exposure to any women at all were the customers at the restaurant…where he was expected to cater and serve them. He would run after them…curious and desiring their affection. Not because he was a pervert but because he'd never had any. No woman called him a friend or shared a dream with him.

The idiot who gave Sanji his view on women was the cook himself and his past with them. As long as the cook was strong he'd survive their abuse he supposed. Especially if Zoro was around to tell the abusive ones no and take on the villains.

Wait…was he feeling protective of the cook now?! Actually, when he reexamined that thought he always had been protective of him. In a stern "you're an idiot" kind of way…but it was something the cook knew and grew up with.

"Dammit. I'm starting to feel woozy."

Zoro saw Luffy and Chopper running toward them a few miles away.

"They are almost here."

"Any other questions?"

"You love Nami?"

"I love all women. Nami too."

"And what about men?" Zoro asked a little too quickly.

"I don't love all men." Another puff on the cigarette.

"But you do love some?" Zoro pushed. Sanjis head rolled lightly from blood loss as his blue eye tried to discern the true question being asked before making a decision.

"There is a VERY short and very exclusive list."

The cook still had deniability. You could have brotherly love for instance. But his was enough. Well actually it was the look in the cooks eye. There was a chance.

"You're an idiot around women."

"I know."

"I bet your mom would be proud though."

"Hmmm…I wonder."

The crew was almost there. Sanji would soon be receiving proper care.

Zoro leaned in…Sanji was barely holding on to consciousness. The cigarette dropped limply to the ground.

"Let me express it in her place." He placed a gentle kiss on the cooks forehead and Sanjis eyes opened wide and a slight blush lit his cheeks. "Actually…you're pretty tough to put up with the women and because of that…I don't have too. I don't think I properly thanked you before."

He gave Sanji a very unchaste kiss then full on lips. Zoro broke into a grin as the kiss continued and cook began to participate, returning a smoldering passion there despite blood loss. Even in this Sanji rose to the challenge.

"Zoro…Kuina would be proud of you too."

"Yeah." It was nice to hear out loud, though.

"I bet she was a great kisser!"

Chopper was there then already admonishing him.

"Zoro! Don't hit the patient! This is a serious injury!"

Sanji looked smug despite the new bump on his head.

"He's fine."

"Yeah Chopper. I heal quickly when I have something to look forward too."


End file.
